Happy Tails Books was inspired by a Boston Terrier named Bill. Bill was rescued from a Missouri puppy mill and has had a long road to recovery. These days he is enjoying life as a dog and always has something silly going on. This blog chronicles his recovery and comedy as well as life as a dog foster parent.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

No fosters this week, so I thought I would give you a sneak preview of our upcoming Dachshund book. Here's one of our first edits entitled "Katrina's Little Angel."

Angel was rescued by a group of volunteers that traveled from Texas to Louisiana many times during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. On one of the search-and-rescue trips, the volunteers discovered a puppy mill in an old out-building of abandoned property. The storm had flooded the property and reached as high as seven feet inside the building. Crates were stacked from floor to ceiling, and unfortunately everyone below the waterline had drowned.

Angel and her brother Dominick were in one of the top crates. When the water receded, the crates shifted and theirs fell to the ground. Dominick got lucky and landed on his sister, which broke his fall. Unfortunately for Angel, this caused a traumatic back injury. Additionally, days without food or water made the pair so weak that when rescuers arrived, they thought Angel and Dominick were dead. Their survival could only have been a miracle!

The dogs were brought to safety at a makeshift shelter in Lafayette, LA, where workers determined that Angel’s injury would, indeed, require medical attention. Volunteers transported the pair to Beaumont, TX, where they were evaluated by a vet. A kind couple then ferried them across a lake to Houston, where they spent the night with a volunteer. The next day, Dominick was taken to San Antonio to reside in foster care with Diamond Dachshund Rescue. Angel continued on to a surgeon in Austin and was cared for by All Texas Dachshund Rescue. She underwent extensive spinal surgery the following morning.

This young, beautiful, black-and-tan piebald “angel” touched the hearts of everyone she met. Angel’s Houston transport volunteer was so taken by her that she offered to foster Angel through her rehabilitation. Angel recovered well but needed lots of therapy and acupuncture following her surgery. After months of hard work and expensive therapy Angel wiggled her way into her foster mom’s heart. Now Angel’s “forever” mom, she can’t imagine life without her.

While Hurricane Katrina devastated many areas of the South, it actually may have saved Angel and Dominick’s lives. Had it not struck, they would most likely still be stuck in a cage at that puppy mill. Angel’s strength and will to survive is a testament to all of the tireless volunteers who helped during Hurricane Katrina. Their work has not gone unnoticed, especially by two little dogs whose lives would have been lost if not for their selfless efforts. -Anonymous